FORTY YEARS AGO

PM CRIES BETRAYAL

PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI deplored that the opposition parties and newspapers had backed out of the promises they gave the government when the Emergency was relaxed. The Opposition had assured the government that it would not indulge in any violence and indiscipline and newspapers would not publish any news which was detrimental to the interest of the nation, Mrs Gandhi said at Misrikh, UP. Mrs Gandhi said the Opposition had made several attempts at violence before the elections and tried to create anarchy among labourers, students and others. “The opposition parties are also trying to make capital out of the family planning programme by spreading rumours of alleged excesses,” she said.

BOLLYWOOD SPEAKS UP

THE BOMBAY FILM industry suddenly woke up to express thundering resentment against the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister V.C. Shukla. Most film personalities privately regretted that “they missed an opportunity to voice their grievances”. Shukla has been roundly blamed for “bullying and blackmailing the industry”. Sri Ram Bohra, president of IMPPA, complained that Shukla had forced the industry to sell off their shares in the Indian Motion Picture Export Corporation (IMPEC) and were paid only 20 per cent share value. Vijay Anand, of the famous Anand trio, said the industry was shocked at the fate of Snehalata Reddy. “What has happened to her is happening to the whole industry,” he said.

SECOND ROUND POLLS

THIRTY MILLION VOTERS in Bihar, Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls in the second round of elections, which resume after a day’s break. Tomorrow, the voters will elect 65 MPS from 861 candidates in 45 constituencies in UP, 19 in Bihar and one in Nagaland. The Congress is contesting all the 65 seats while the Janata Party is contesting 63 seats, the CPI 14 and CPM four.